While Heidi’s students chopped their vegetables, she took two packages of ground beef from the refrigerator. “Any volunteers to brown the beef?”
“Not me. I’d most likely burn the meat. It happened the last time I tried to fry bacon.” Eli stroked his throat and grimaced.
“You probably turned the burner too high.” Heidi took out two frying pans and poured a little cooking oil in each. “Even if I use a nonstick pan I always put oil in the bottom for added flavor and to add a touch of moisture to the meat.” She handed one package of beef to Kendra and the other to Ron. Since they’d been conversing, Heidi hoped pairing them would go well. “Why don’t you start browning the meat? When it’s partway cooked, Loretta and Charlene can take over. Eli, you may want to watch the procedure to see how it’s done.”
Kendra unwrapped the ground beef and placed it in one of the frying pans while Ron followed suit. She’d felt fine when she first got here, but as the beef began cooking, the odor wafted up to her nostrils, which caused her stomach to churn. She handed Heidi the wooden spoon. “Somebody else better do this, ’cause the sight and smell of this meat has made me feel nauseous.”
Loretta stepped forward and took the spoon. “Maybe you ought to step outside for a breath of fresh air. The good country air always helped when morning sickness hit me.”
“A cup of mint tea might settle things down. How about I fix it for you?” Heidi offered.
Moving toward the back door, Kendra nodded. “Thanks, Heidi. I’ll drink it when I come back inside. I forgot to bring some with me today.”
When Kendra stepped onto the porch, she stood at the railing and drew several deep breaths. Getting out of the kitchen and away from the strong meaty odor brought some relief. She’d come mighty close to getting sick and didn’t want a repeat of the last class when she’d barely made it to the bathroom in time.
She gazed at the landscape, while recollections circled inside her head. Before I got pregnant, the odor of meat cooking never bothered me at all. My belly wasn’t sensitive to much of anything back then. Kendra placed her hands firmly on her stomach, which had begun to pooch in the last two weeks. Are you a boy or a girl? Well, what does it matter? I probably won’t get the chance to be your mama. Tears of frustration pricked the back of Kendra’s eyes. Sure hope I find a job soon.
She’d scoured the newspaper want ads and made numerous calls to hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and restaurants in the area, but all the jobs she’d seen listed had already been filled. Kendra wasn’t sure how she’d cope with her morning sickness even if someone offered her a job. Somehow, she would manage and make it work. Relying on Dorie indefinitely was not an option. It wasn’t fair to expect it, either. Dorie had her own expenses to worry about.
Kendra tipped her head back. Not a cloud to be seen. The birds in Heidi’s yard twittered and tweeted as though they hadn’t a care in the world.
“Wish I could say the same,” Kendra muttered. It wasn’t in her nature to feel so negative, but after finding out she was pregnant and then the breakup with Max, she’d become bitter and hopeless—even more so when Mom and Dad kicked her out. Obviously, she’d disappointed them, but did it mean they no longer loved her?
Kendra’s sisters came to mind. She still hadn’t responded to Shelly’s messages. What’s the point? I wonder what Shelly and Chris would say if I told them I was forced to leave home and the reason for it.
Kendra moved away from the railing and took a seat on the porch swing. The gentle swaying as she pushed her feet against the wooden porch floor helped her relax.
Sighing, she closed her eyes and tried to visualize who her baby might look like when he or she came into the world. Would it have auburn hair and brown eyes like hers, or end up with curly black hair and blue eyes like Max?
Kendra nearly jumped off the swing when the back door swung open and Heidi stepped out. “We’re ready to layer the ingredients on our plates. Are you feeling up to joining us now?” She handed Kendra a cup of tea.
“Umm … yeah, I do feel better.” She lifted the cup and took a sip. “Thanks. This is good, and breathing the country air for a while helped my stomach settle.”
Heidi smiled. “I’m glad. Hopefully the tea will help, too.”
Kendra stood and followed Heidi into the house. She felt hungry now and couldn’t wait to try the haystack.
“Charlene, are you crying?” Loretta felt concern when she noticed tears rolling down the young woman’s cheeks.
Charlene shook her head. “It’s those onions I chopped. They made my eyes water.”
“Their strong odor has a tendency to do that sometimes.” Heidi handed Charlene a tissue. “Now that everyone has finished chopping their vegetables, let’s begin the layering process.” She demonstrated on her own plate how to put the items down in the order given, to create their individual haystacks.
Once everyone piled the ingredients on, Heidi demonstrated how to pour the cheese sauce over the top. “Some of you may want to add your favorite salad dressing, too.” She pointed to the bottles of ranch, thousand island, and Italian dressings she’d set out.
Following behind Charlene and Kendra, Loretta filled her plate with all the goodies. The sight of everything piled up on her plate made Loretta’s mouth water. It looked and smelled delicious.
After the men filled their plates, everyone followed Heidi to the dining room. When she bowed her head for silent prayer, Loretta and the others did the same. Once the prayer ended, they all dug in.
“How have you all been doing since our last class?” Heidi questioned.
“I’ve been looking for a job, but haven’t had much luck.” Kendra clicked her fingernails against the tabletop. “I’m willing to take almost anything, but I keep hearing there are no openings right now.”
“Don’t give up.” Loretta wished she could do something for this girl. “Keep watching the newspaper or use a computer. The Internet is a great search tool.”
“I’ve done that already. Since my folks kicked me out of their house when they learned I was pregnant, I don’t have a computer anymore. My friend, Dorie, whom I’m living with now, has a laptop.” Groaning, Kendra leaned her elbows on the table. “She’s done so much for me already. I hate to ask if I can keep borrowing hers.”
“So you’re not married?” The question came from Ron.
Kendra shook her head. “If I was, I wouldn’t be in such a mess and might not need a job at all.”
“I’ll keep my ears open, and if I hear about something, I’ll let you know,” Charlene spoke up.
“Jobs often become available here in our Amish community,” Heidi added.
Loretta couldn’t imagine what it must be like to be in Kendra’s situation. It would be difficult enough to try and raise a child on her own, but to have been thrown out of her parents’ house was beyond belief. What kind of a person would force their own child to leave? Kendra needed help, not condemnation.
Kendra lowered her gaze. “Okay, let’s not talk about me anymore.”
As if sensing Kendra’s discomfort, Heidi turned to Loretta next. “How did your week go?”
“There were a few tense moments when I got locked out of the house.” Forehead wrinkling, Loretta dropped her hands to her sides. “My children were inside, and I panicked because they couldn’t get the door open, either.”
“What did you do?” Charlene leaned forward.
“Fortunately, one of my neighbors heard me pounding on the door and came right over. Sam took the door off its hinges so I could get in before the storm hit.”
“For the most part, things went well for me since the last time we were all together.” Charlene’s brows puckered. “Except for the date with my fiancé, which started out perfect, but ended horribly wrong.”
“What do you mean?” Loretta asked.
“Len and I were on our way to Millersburg for dinner. Halfway there, we passed a field where a mare was giving birth to a foal. I asked Len to pull over, since I’d never s
een the birth of a colt before. I’m glad I had my camera with me, but when we were ready to head back to Len’s vehicle, everything fell apart.” Charlene paused and took a breath.
“What happened?” This question came from Kendra.
“Someone hit his Suburban. He had to have it towed back to Dover, and we never made it out to dinner.” Charlene wrinkled her nose. “I ended up fixing sandwiches after we took a taxi to my place, where Len called his dad to come get him.”
“At least neither of you was in the car when it got hit. You could have been hurt.” Heidi commented.
“Yes, we were thankful.”
Heidi gestured to Eli. “How have you been?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Same old, same old. Always busy in my shop.”
“You have an interesting profession. Would you mind telling everyone what you do?”
Eli pulled at his shirt collar then rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, I … uh … make caskets, and also some wooden furniture.” He cleared his throat a couple of times. “Most of us don’t like to be reminded of death, but the truth is, out of five thousand people, five thousand will die, and most will need a coffin.”
No one said a word, until Charlene started asking several questions about his profession. Eli seemed to relax and was willing to respond.
“Ron, do you have anything to share?” Heidi looked in his direction.
“Nope. I’ll just listen to the rest of you yammer.”
Loretta cringed. Did he have to be so rude? In an effort to put a positive note on things, she gestured to her plate. “This haystack is delicious, Heidi. My children might enjoy helping me make it, so I’m going to try this recipe at home sometime next week.”
“It’s good, but all that chopping of so many ingredients seems like a waste of time,” Ron garbled around a mouthful of food. “Don’t think I’ll ever make it, though.” His chin jutted out. “It ain’t worth all the effort.”
Tension showed on Heidi’s face as her lips compressed. She was obviously hurt by Ron’s comment.
It was difficult, but Loretta refrained from saying anything about the man’s negative attitude. If it wasn’t worth the time to fix a nice meal, why was he taking the class?
She glanced at Eli, who’d been gobbling the food down like it was his last meal. “What about you, Eli? Will you try making haystack on your own?”
He lifted his broad shoulders in a brief shrug. “Maybe. Except for browning the beef, it wasn’t too hard. Can’t go wrong cuttin’ up vegetables and opening a can of beans.”
“Don’t forget the rice we cooked on the stove after we browned the beef,” Charlene interjected.
“True, but if I were to use the kind of rice that cooks in a minute, I could probably manage.” Eli took another bite and blotted his lips with a napkin.
Loretta smiled at Heidi. “Thanks for showing us how to make this healthy meal.”
“You’re welcome.” Looking a little more subdued, Heidi handed them each a recipe card with the directions for making haystack. “Now you’ll be able to try it at home. Oh, and please don’t forget to look at the Bible verse I included on the back.”
“I may make this for my future in-laws sometime.” Charlene blotted her lips with a napkin. “My fiancé doesn’t know I’m taking these classes. I want it to be a surprise.”
“It’s always fun to surprise someone,” Kendra spoke up.
“Yeah, unless it’s an unpleasant surprise. Some surprises, like my ex-wife kickin’ me out of our house years ago—now that was anything but pleasant.” Ron looked over at Kendra. “See, you’re not the only one who was given the boot.”
The room became quiet as all heads turned to look at Ron.
Loretta couldn’t form a response. Since she knew none of the details, she thought it best to keep quiet.
Heidi, on the other hand, spoke quickly. “You’re right, Ron. A surprise such as that would certainly be difficult to take.”
“Are you and your wife back together?” Eli questioned.
“Nope. Been divorced a good many years.” Ron forked more food into his mouth. It was obviously a topic he’d rather not talk about.
Ron listened as the others discussed various topics, but he remained quiet. Discussing his messed-up life was something he wouldn’t even consider. No one could fix his problems anyway, so no use talking about it. He’d already said too much. Wish I had never mentioned my ex-wife. If I’d continued the discussion, someone would have probably asked if I have any children. Blabbing the whole story would have been a mistake. These people would most likely look down on me. Either that or feel sorry for the poor Vietnam vet. He drew his fingers into his palms. I don’t need anyone’s pity.
“Did you have a good two weeks since we last saw you last?” Eli nudged Ron’s arm.
“Didn’t do much. Tinkered around the RV’s engine a bit and helped Lyle with a few chores,” Ron mumbled. I’m sure this fellow means well, but I don’t feel like answering a bunch of questions. Guess this is what I get for taking Heidi’s cooking class. Don’t think Eli realizes I’m not the sociable type.
“My fiancé likes to work on vehicles when he isn’t busy at his job,” Charlene interjected. “I could ask him to take a look at your motor home. Maybe he’d find the problem.”
“I ordered a part, and thanks, but no thanks. I’ll fix my rig once the part comes in.”
Ron finished eating and set his fork down. He felt relief when Charlene pulled a photo out of her purse to show everyone. It took the focus off him. Ron had to admit, the picture of the colt and its mother looked interesting—especially with the beautiful sunset in the background.
“I saw a local photo contest advertised in the paper the other day,” Kendra commented. “You oughta enter your picture. The ad mentioned it’s being sponsored by a photography magazine.”
“Maybe I will.” Charlene’s straight white teeth showed when she gave a wide smile. “Someone has to win, right?”
All heads nodded.
A few minutes later, Heidi’s husband entered the room. “Sorry to interrupt.” He paused near the table and grinned at Heidi. “I got home earlier than expected, but I didn’t think I’d find you here in the dining room. I assumed your class would take place in the kitchen.”
“It did, but we came out here to eat the meal.” She gestured in the direction of the kitchen. “There’s plenty left if you’d like to fix a plate and join us.”
“Okay, I’ll get some food in a minute.” Lyle opened the china hutch door and removed a tall vase. Then he put something inside it and closed the door. From where Ron sat, it looked like money Lyle stuffed inside the dark blue vase.
What’s that guy thinking, hidin’ money in such an obvious place? And with all of us sitting here, watching, no less. Some folks are too trusting.
Chapter 16
Dover
Three days passed since Charlene attended Heidi’s second cooking class, but she’d been too busy to try making haystack. With school winding down in a few weeks, there were so many extra things to do. She planned to have a special program for her kindergarten class the last day of school. The children would entertain their parents with songs they’d learned during the year, as well as acting out a story Charlene chose from one of the books she’d read to the children. She’d taken individual photos of her students the other day, and those would be given out during the program, as well.
As soon as school is out at the end of May I’ll get serious about practicing my cooking skills, Charlene told herself as she heated a few pieces of leftover pizza in the microwave for supper.
Olive, who lay on the throw rug near the sink, lifted her gray head as though sniffing the air. Meow!
Charlene clicked her tongue while shaking her head. “No pizza for you, my little feline.” She pointed across the room to the cat’s dish. “Your dinner’s over there.”
The timer went off, and after Charlene took the pizza out of the microwave, she poured herself a glas
s of iced tea and took a seat at the kitchen table. Savoring the tangy pepperoni, sausage, and mozzarella cheese, she took time to scan the local newspaper. Her eyebrows rose when her gaze came to rest on the newspaper article Kendra had mentioned during the last cooking class. AMISH COUNTRY PHOTO CONTEST.
Kendra was right. The contest was sponsored by a well-known photography magazine, one Charlene had paged through many times at the grocery store. As she read the details and learned what was required, the thought of entering the contest sparked an interest. The photos would be judged on different categories, such as nature, scenic, seasons, or animals—all taken in an Amish community. Unlike many photo contests, and to be respectful of the Amish, this one did not include a people category, since most Amish objected to having their picture taken.
The photo Charlene took of the foal and its mother depicted Amish country and qualified for three of the categories—scenic, nature, and animals.
Charlene stopped reading and pulled the envelope out of her purse, where she’d put the picture on Saturday. In her opinion, this photo was the best she’d ever taken. In fact, she might even enlarge and frame it.
It still surprised her that she’d managed to capture the sunset’s glow illuminating both horses’ coats. I wonder if the judges will notice.
As she read the rules further, Charlene became more determined to enter her picture. The photo’s orientation was required to be in a portrait layout and not the landscape option. An address was listed where it should be mailed, or it could be submitted via a JPEG attachment to the website they listed. She’d already printed the picture from her printer to show everyone in Heidi’s class, but it would be easier to submit online. As stated, she had to make sure her name was included, as well as where the picture was taken. The photo needed a title, not longer than six words. Think I’ll call it “Ending to a Perfect Day.”
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